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UPDATE V3: I soldered in 3 resettable (polyswitches) fuses in-line to protect Phantom, GPS, and LED in case of short-circuit. I used a .9ma and two .2ma fuses!
UPDATE V2!!! I moved GPS tracker inside the Phantom and wired a 16v to 12v switching regulator in-line to allow for an LED that I wired in with a switch. Setup is VERY clean now, very professional looking. Go to page 2 of replies to see my updated pictures! I will need to assess GPS cell signal strength inside and perhaps have small antenna coming out.
V2: http://www.phantompilots.com/thread...-setup-for-phantom-3.43844/page-2#post-409078
---------
Hopefully this post won't take too long to load with the pictures. So, since I got my Phantom 3, I'd been toying with idea of a GPS tracker, for all the obvious reasons. But, I didn't want to weigh it down or pay a lot of money. After looking at a lot of different options (Trackimo, DroneMods, etc.) I wasn't pleased with the options. For example, DroneMods tracker costs $130, weighs 56 grams, and then costs $5 a month. That's $190 for the first year.
Here's what I found and I think it's a great setup.
Setup guide:
DISCLAIMER: you might void your DJI warranty, you might cause a short if you're not careful. Do this at your own risk. You might COVER YOUR GROUND SENSOR IF YOU'RE NOT CAREFUL.
What you'll need:
- White shrink tubing (1" pieces and smaller pieces to cover JST wires)
- Heat gun (for shrink tubing)
- This particular GPS tracker: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00T8UDW2Q?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage
- H20 wireless SIM card with $10 plan (see below)
- Soldering iron with solder
- T screw drivers to get off Phantom cover
- Gimbal Camera guard from uavbits.com: http://www.uavbits.net/store/p19/Carbon_Fiber_Camera_Guard_for_DJI_Phantom_3.html
- Some low profile velcro strips: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WFRMBI?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage
- White mini zip ties
- 24 gauge solid insulated wire (Radio Shack) --> IF YOU GET PLAIN RED WIRE, MAKE SURE YOU KEEP TRACK OF POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE SIDES!!
1. So you know up front, in order to keep the weigh down, and since there is no battery in this GPS tracker (step 2), I wired it to my Phantom 3's power source. I realize this may be a long step and intimidating. So, do at your own risk. It is fairly straightforward to do this. Get some T screwdrivers to remove the screws while facing Phantom upside down. Now, the tricky part: squeezing the bottom side of each plastic arm to open up the clips so the cover will pop off one leg at a time. For me, I had to squeeze extremely hard but the plastic is tough and won't crack. Once cover is off, GPS cable is connected, so be careful lifting up. Here's a video to give a preview of the inside:
Notice on the picture, on the right hand side you'll see 2 terminals on the main board (RED/BLACK). I used solid 24 gauge (not stranded) wire (more rigid for staying in place) and put a little solder to attach each lead to the pos and neg. I also put a mini zip tie at the base of the wire around the new wire attaching it to the main battery wire already there. That's just in the wire comes lose, it won't flop around and bridge the gap between pos and neg and cause a short (you never know). Run the wires side by side out the side vent, or else you could go down through the top of the leg right next to an antenna wire. I just didn't want any electrical interference so I went out the side vent. Make sure you can keep track of which wire is negative and which is positive if you're wire is all the same color!
Put some white shrink tubing around the wires along the way when you can so they blend in with the Phantom. I ran the wire down the leg and it hasn't affected RC signal or video.
2. Buy this for $35 on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00T8UDW2Q?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage
3. It weighs 36 grams in its case. But, if you remove the 2 screws, and take off the case and slide off the rubber wire protector and cut the end connector off, it weighs 20 grams (with SIM card installed)! KEEP THE CASE as it has the IMEI number on the back you will need later!
4. Purchase an H20 Wireless standard size SIM card for $.01 to a few bucks: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C0DL9FK?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage
5. Once you receive the SIM, register the SIM with H20 wireless and buy the $10 pay-as-you-go refill. You will NOT need more than this. It only costs 20 cents to do the 2 initial text messages to set it up, then it literally costs 1 penny for every 2 flights for data usage. Since the minutes expire after 90 days, you'll be wasting anything more than $10. At $10 every 90 days, that comes out to $40 a year maximum ($3.33 per month) and if you take a month off during the winter or more, it will cost even less. Keep in mind that the SIM card will deactivate if you don't top it off within 30 days of minutes expiring. So, if you let the SIM card expire, you'll have to open up the GPS and replace the SIM card.
Fine print:
6. Register your GPS tracker here: www.sky200.com. You'll need the IMEI number off the back of the case you removed the GPS tracker from.
7. Download the iOS or Android app by either scanning the QR code on the box (cardboard part of box, not sticker) or else searching for "Keelin" app (you may not find it). Or, you can track on the web at www.sky200.com. It's Chinglish, but readable, (e.g. "Okey"). It saves your flights/trips, so you can go back and view them later. More on this later.
Android App found here: http://www.keelin.com.cn/download/Keelin.apk
8. Pop out the SIM card keeping it in the standard size plastic. If it falls out of that, it can be popped back in.
9. Insert it into the GPS tracker and slide it flush with the outline on the GPS circuit board. It will be lose. So, take a piece of strong sticky tape or double-sided tape and put it on there to hold it in place.
Picture shows double-stick tape (very strong) used. over the metal insert tab covering SIM card, holding all together. Remove top plastic so tape can stick to cover you'll make later with shrink tubing.
10. You need to register the card with H20 Wireless. So, hook up some temporary leads from the Phantom ("don't cross the streams, Ray!") to the RED and BLACK wires of the GPS. The other 2 GPS wires are not needed and normally monitor a car's engine/system. You can trim those back, etc. TAKE OFF YOUR PROPS and turn on your Phantom (crossing your fingers that you didn't short any wires!) Place a text from your phone to the phone number of the SIM card you registered with H20. You will be texting just 1 command and that's it (you can also see this info. on the sticker on the GPS box):
Text your new # xxx-xxx-xxxx (your number) with message:
"apn,att.mvno#" (without quotes)
You will get back some kind of "ok" message that it worked. It worked almost instantly and painlessly for me. Here's some more info. you may not need, but here's where I found the APN address I needed:
11. Go online, log in, and make sure you can get it to track you. You may need to be near a window. If the blue and red lights are slowly blinking on the GPS that is a good sign, but may take 30 seconds. Don't mind the message that says whether the GPS is online or offline. That isn't always accurate. Look at the military time stamp and the location updated on the map. It starts in China but should change over to your location soon. (I'm leaving out some details on how to navigate the app/website, but you'll figure that out pretty quickly) The tracker seems to update, at best, 1 time every 10 seconds or so. But, it's enough to accurately track your Phantom, in my experience. You can also do geofences and other things and it saves your flights/trips so you can go back later and review them.
12. Once everything is working, start wrapping your GPS tracker in 1" white shrink tubing (Radio Shack). I used a JST connector type and soldered that to the RED and BLACK GPS wires hanging off.
It won't add a lot of weight, but it will add a little, less than the case adds: 28 grams vs. 36 grams. I left the antenna coil partly uncovered on the end, but you can probably cover that if you need to.
THE END OF PART 1. PART 2 NEXT POST.....
UPDATE V2!!! I moved GPS tracker inside the Phantom and wired a 16v to 12v switching regulator in-line to allow for an LED that I wired in with a switch. Setup is VERY clean now, very professional looking. Go to page 2 of replies to see my updated pictures! I will need to assess GPS cell signal strength inside and perhaps have small antenna coming out.
V2: http://www.phantompilots.com/thread...-setup-for-phantom-3.43844/page-2#post-409078
---------
Hopefully this post won't take too long to load with the pictures. So, since I got my Phantom 3, I'd been toying with idea of a GPS tracker, for all the obvious reasons. But, I didn't want to weigh it down or pay a lot of money. After looking at a lot of different options (Trackimo, DroneMods, etc.) I wasn't pleased with the options. For example, DroneMods tracker costs $130, weighs 56 grams, and then costs $5 a month. That's $190 for the first year.
Here's what I found and I think it's a great setup.
Setup guide:
DISCLAIMER: you might void your DJI warranty, you might cause a short if you're not careful. Do this at your own risk. You might COVER YOUR GROUND SENSOR IF YOU'RE NOT CAREFUL.
What you'll need:
- White shrink tubing (1" pieces and smaller pieces to cover JST wires)
- Heat gun (for shrink tubing)
- This particular GPS tracker: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00T8UDW2Q?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage
- H20 wireless SIM card with $10 plan (see below)
- Soldering iron with solder
- T screw drivers to get off Phantom cover
- Gimbal Camera guard from uavbits.com: http://www.uavbits.net/store/p19/Carbon_Fiber_Camera_Guard_for_DJI_Phantom_3.html
- Some low profile velcro strips: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WFRMBI?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage
- White mini zip ties
- 24 gauge solid insulated wire (Radio Shack) --> IF YOU GET PLAIN RED WIRE, MAKE SURE YOU KEEP TRACK OF POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE SIDES!!
1. So you know up front, in order to keep the weigh down, and since there is no battery in this GPS tracker (step 2), I wired it to my Phantom 3's power source. I realize this may be a long step and intimidating. So, do at your own risk. It is fairly straightforward to do this. Get some T screwdrivers to remove the screws while facing Phantom upside down. Now, the tricky part: squeezing the bottom side of each plastic arm to open up the clips so the cover will pop off one leg at a time. For me, I had to squeeze extremely hard but the plastic is tough and won't crack. Once cover is off, GPS cable is connected, so be careful lifting up. Here's a video to give a preview of the inside:
Notice on the picture, on the right hand side you'll see 2 terminals on the main board (RED/BLACK). I used solid 24 gauge (not stranded) wire (more rigid for staying in place) and put a little solder to attach each lead to the pos and neg. I also put a mini zip tie at the base of the wire around the new wire attaching it to the main battery wire already there. That's just in the wire comes lose, it won't flop around and bridge the gap between pos and neg and cause a short (you never know). Run the wires side by side out the side vent, or else you could go down through the top of the leg right next to an antenna wire. I just didn't want any electrical interference so I went out the side vent. Make sure you can keep track of which wire is negative and which is positive if you're wire is all the same color!
Put some white shrink tubing around the wires along the way when you can so they blend in with the Phantom. I ran the wire down the leg and it hasn't affected RC signal or video.
2. Buy this for $35 on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00T8UDW2Q?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage
3. It weighs 36 grams in its case. But, if you remove the 2 screws, and take off the case and slide off the rubber wire protector and cut the end connector off, it weighs 20 grams (with SIM card installed)! KEEP THE CASE as it has the IMEI number on the back you will need later!
4. Purchase an H20 Wireless standard size SIM card for $.01 to a few bucks: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C0DL9FK?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage
5. Once you receive the SIM, register the SIM with H20 wireless and buy the $10 pay-as-you-go refill. You will NOT need more than this. It only costs 20 cents to do the 2 initial text messages to set it up, then it literally costs 1 penny for every 2 flights for data usage. Since the minutes expire after 90 days, you'll be wasting anything more than $10. At $10 every 90 days, that comes out to $40 a year maximum ($3.33 per month) and if you take a month off during the winter or more, it will cost even less. Keep in mind that the SIM card will deactivate if you don't top it off within 30 days of minutes expiring. So, if you let the SIM card expire, you'll have to open up the GPS and replace the SIM card.
Fine print:
6. Register your GPS tracker here: www.sky200.com. You'll need the IMEI number off the back of the case you removed the GPS tracker from.
7. Download the iOS or Android app by either scanning the QR code on the box (cardboard part of box, not sticker) or else searching for "Keelin" app (you may not find it). Or, you can track on the web at www.sky200.com. It's Chinglish, but readable, (e.g. "Okey"). It saves your flights/trips, so you can go back and view them later. More on this later.
Android App found here: http://www.keelin.com.cn/download/Keelin.apk
8. Pop out the SIM card keeping it in the standard size plastic. If it falls out of that, it can be popped back in.
9. Insert it into the GPS tracker and slide it flush with the outline on the GPS circuit board. It will be lose. So, take a piece of strong sticky tape or double-sided tape and put it on there to hold it in place.
Picture shows double-stick tape (very strong) used. over the metal insert tab covering SIM card, holding all together. Remove top plastic so tape can stick to cover you'll make later with shrink tubing.
10. You need to register the card with H20 Wireless. So, hook up some temporary leads from the Phantom ("don't cross the streams, Ray!") to the RED and BLACK wires of the GPS. The other 2 GPS wires are not needed and normally monitor a car's engine/system. You can trim those back, etc. TAKE OFF YOUR PROPS and turn on your Phantom (crossing your fingers that you didn't short any wires!) Place a text from your phone to the phone number of the SIM card you registered with H20. You will be texting just 1 command and that's it (you can also see this info. on the sticker on the GPS box):
Text your new # xxx-xxx-xxxx (your number) with message:
"apn,att.mvno#" (without quotes)
You will get back some kind of "ok" message that it worked. It worked almost instantly and painlessly for me. Here's some more info. you may not need, but here's where I found the APN address I needed:
11. Go online, log in, and make sure you can get it to track you. You may need to be near a window. If the blue and red lights are slowly blinking on the GPS that is a good sign, but may take 30 seconds. Don't mind the message that says whether the GPS is online or offline. That isn't always accurate. Look at the military time stamp and the location updated on the map. It starts in China but should change over to your location soon. (I'm leaving out some details on how to navigate the app/website, but you'll figure that out pretty quickly) The tracker seems to update, at best, 1 time every 10 seconds or so. But, it's enough to accurately track your Phantom, in my experience. You can also do geofences and other things and it saves your flights/trips so you can go back later and review them.
12. Once everything is working, start wrapping your GPS tracker in 1" white shrink tubing (Radio Shack). I used a JST connector type and soldered that to the RED and BLACK GPS wires hanging off.
It won't add a lot of weight, but it will add a little, less than the case adds: 28 grams vs. 36 grams. I left the antenna coil partly uncovered on the end, but you can probably cover that if you need to.
THE END OF PART 1. PART 2 NEXT POST.....
Last edited: